By MacDonald Dzirutwe HARARE, June 1 (Reuters) - President Robert Mugabe has left Zimbabwe to attend a food summit in Rome, state television said on Sunday, announcing a rare visit by the veteran leader to Europe and his first official trip outside Zimbabwe since disputed elections in March.The European Union has a travel ban on Mugabe, fighting to retain the presidency at forthcoming presidential polls, because of his human rights record. Since the FAO summit is taking place under a United Nations umbrella, however, the Rome meeting would be open to him. "President Robert Mugabe has left the country for Rome to attend the Food and Agricultural Organisation summit which starts on Tuesday," state television said. The FAO did not confirm Mugabe's attendance but spokesman Nick Parsons said: "All heads of state of all member countries of the FAO have been invited, the only ones I can confirm are the ones on the website." Around 60 heads of state and government are expected to meet in Rome for June 3-5 summit to discuss global problems caused by steep rises in food prices. State television said Mugabe, accused by opponents of causing chaos and food shortages in Zimbabwean agriculture by his economic stewardship, travelled accompanied by his wife and several senior government officials. Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980 and is the only leader most Zimbabweans have known, will arrive in Rome with an uncertain political future. He faces a June 27 presidential run-off against Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. After a lengthy delay in releasing the results, figures from Zimbabwe's electoral commission showed Tsvangirai won more votes in the March 29 election but not enough to avoid a run-off. The opposition charges vote rigging and said Tsvangirai won the contest outright. CHRONIC SHORTAGES The controversy over the election is only the latest in a series of ballot disputes over the years but it is the most serious and analysts say it illustrates the deep frustration Zimbabweans feel about his handling of the country's finances. Zimbabwe's economy is a shambles. Inflation is 165,000 percent, unemployment 80 percent and there are chronic shortages of basic necessities including food and fuel. Some 3.5 million people have fled to neighbouring countries to escape poverty and malnutrition. Mugabe, 84, is viewed by many in Africa as an independence hero. But critics say he has run the country into the ground through mismanagement of its once thriving economy and the 2000 redistribution of critical commercial farms to landless blacks with little or no experience in operating them. He blames Western countries for sabotaging Zimbabwe's economy through sanctions imposed to punish him and top ruling party officials for alleged human rights abuses and election fraud. Mugabe's last trip to Europe in December for a Commonwealth meeting in Portugal was boycotted by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to protest the Zimbabwean leader's participation. Mugabe was in Italy in 2005, when he attended Pope John Paul II's funeral. (Writing by Mary Gabriel, editing by Ralph Boulton)
Zimbabwe opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai prays during the funeral of Sherperd Jani, MDC treasurer for Mashonaland East province, in Murehwa, about 80km (50 miles) east of ...
